Beautiful Karelia. Karelia is a land of unprecedented beauty. Lake Onega and Kizhi Island

Greetings to all lovers of nature and those who are somehow interested in the beautiful Karelia and they want to visit here (because you want to?)! 😀

I am starting a series of articles on this beautiful land of rivers and lakes, and I will start with a selection of the very best places that, in my opinion, are worth visiting. I will make a reservation that this list is compiled on the basis of those places in which I have personally been. I still have a list of those where I want to go (after all, I haven’t seen everything in Karelia yet). But knowing them, I am almost sure that the list presented in this article is unlikely to change. These places are cool and deserve your close attention!

I admit, it was very difficult for me to choose 10 places, and then also to select photos. But I did! 🙂 The places in the list are not arranged according to some of my ratings, but simply randomly. But the first two are still the best for me.

I present them to you!

1. NATIONAL PARK "PAANAJARVI".

If you ask me which place in Karelia impressed me the most, then without hesitation and delay I will answer - Paanajärvi! Yes, this amazing, fabulous and beautiful place has forever won a solid first line in my rating and, of course, in my heart.

Paanajärvi is a national park, a nature protection zone in the north-west of Karelia. Here is the highest mountain, the most powerful waterfall, one of the deepest and most picturesque lakes in Karelia and the coolest landscapes! Indeed, everything is the best here.

Would like to return here. Very much. For lovers of nature, especially northern and wild, I highly recommend coming to Paanajärvi!

I visited here this summer (summer 2018), I was so impressed that I now have 4 detailed articles on each of the park's attractions with all the details and my recommendations on my blog. There are several attractions in the park, and it is simply impossible to touch on each in a couple of sentences. Therefore, I will not write much here, but I will give a link to the first of the articles in this series:. Links to the remaining three articles at the end of the first.

I'll show you a few photos here.

Stunning view from Mount Kivakka.

This is a view from the highest mountain in Karelia - Nuorunen.

The Kivakkakoski waterfall is the largest unregulated stream in Karelia.

The picturesque Mäntykoski waterfall, which can only be reached by the Paanajärvi lake.

Nice path through the forest. It is convenient to cross the swamps.

2. MOUNT VOTTOVAARA.

And this is perhaps the most mystical place in Karelia. Mystical, amazing and beautiful! I'm sure everyone has heard of Vottovaara at least once.

This is a mountain in the Muezersky district of the western part of Karelia. What attracts people here, ordinary tourists and even scientists? First of all, these are numerous seids - the sacred stones of the ancient Sami, according to one of the versions. The second most unusual phenomenon is twisted dry trees. They are truly amazing and amazing. At least for them it's worth coming here.

There are rumors of strange phenomena occurring on the mountain. It seems to have an effect on some people.

The visit to the mountain impressed me a lot. Of course, I didn’t notice any particular impact on my consciousness, unfortunately or fortunately, but I want to return. Here you feel at least unusual. Not like in any other place or on another mountain. Well, the views from it are insanely beautiful!

Over time, the appearance of the mountain, as it is now, will change, so urgently everyone go there! 😉

Unusual twisted trees are a feature of the mountain.

Megaliths of glacial origin are impressive.

The views from the mountain are one of the most beautiful in Karelia!

3. MOUNTAIN PARK RUSKEAL.

Already a very popular and well-known place. Crowds of tourists from all over the country flock here. And for good reason - it is truly unique. Most often, their acquaintance with Karelia begins with him. Majestic marble rocks, turquoise water, the opportunity to swim in a boat along the marble canyon, visit its grottoes and see the magical illumination of the rocks, learn how marble was mined, fly on a troll over the canyon or jump from a bungee, just take a walk, enjoying the views, feeling like sometimes in some fairy tale - you will get all this after visiting Ruskeala.

I have been here in winter, summer and autumn. You can read about winter Ruskeala at. Admire autumn Ruskeala. And here I will attach summer and autumn pictures.

To the same point I will refer AHVENKOSKI waterfalls(they are also called Ruskeala, because they are located very close to the canyon, on the way to it, so you won’t pass). These waterfalls attract, firstly, with their beauty, and secondly, films were shot here, for example, the Soviet “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”. Hanging bridges were recently made over the rapids, a route was laid. It is paid, but you can just look at the general view of the waterfalls for free. The waterfalls are traditionally visited by everyone who travels to the marble canyon itself. Convenient as it's on the way.

Ruskeala mountain park coordinates: 61°54’5″N 30°37’53″E

Ahvenkoski waterfalls coordinates: 61°54’58″N 30°37’38″E

In the water you can see the stone blocks that have fallen from above.
Dangerous areas are fenced off.

Gorgeous and such a different marble!

The boats are still in service.

Ahvenkoski waterfalls. Walk over the most stormy threshold.

Bridges on the waterfalls were made recently.

4. PAASO CITY.

It's a high mountain Paasonvuori , which is located in the Sortavala region (immediately after Sortavala near the village of Helyulya), a place where ancient Karelians lived in the XII-XIII centuries, and maybe even earlier. Excavations were carried out on the mountain and evidence of this was found: ceramic fragments, arrowheads, jewelry. Now we will not find any traces of the former settlements, but the very realization that we are in a historical place excites the imagination. This is how it usually happens to me. 🙂 But climbing the mountain is worth it, first of all, because of the beautiful views from it. On the one hand, we see the highway, the lake, the railway over the lake, the river stretching into the distance, and the village of Helyulya. If you look in the other direction, we will see views of majestic spruce forests. Below I will attach one of my favorite photos that I took in Karelia. The view of the forests is endlessly inspiring!

A safe and at the same time picturesque path goes up around the rock on the right, if you stand with your back to the road, there was also a tiny bridge across the groove near the road itself. On the road itself there will be a sign “Paaso Hillfort”. Leave the car in the parking lot - there will be a lapel from the track - and walk back, you will find the beginning of the path. We did not know this and climbed straight up the rocks. You can get up this way, but it's hard.

You can visit the settlement by heading to Ruskeala. It does not take a lot of time.

Paaso settlement coordinates: 61°43’56″N 30°41’54″E

The trail to the top of the mountain is very picturesque.

View of the highway and Helyulya village.

View from the mountain to the railway.

View of spruce forests from the other side of Paasonvuori mountain. I like this look even better.

5. KOYONSAARI ISLAND.

We visited this wonderful place a year ago and were very impressed! The island is located on Ladoga, or rather, in the Ladoga skerries. It attracts with its uncharacteristic in this area chic sandy beaches and, of course, breathtaking views from the rock of Leshy. There are also pine trees on the island, bizarrely twisted and growing right on the rocks or from the sand. There are also mixed forests. You can set aside a whole day for a leisurely visit to the island and a picnic on it, and you will not regret it. We, unfortunately, did not have a whole day, we walked quickly, but still spent 4 hours on the island. We had a longer route around part of the island.

You can go from St. Petersburg to Koyonsaari in one day, if you get up early. About 3.5-4 hours drive to the island. You can leave the car near it on the road or, if there are no places, for a small fee for the next tour. bases (for example, "Annushkin berth"). A bridge is thrown from the mainland to the island, since the distance is only 150 meters - yes, it's funny, but you don't have to swim to the island, but you can take just a few steps.

The coordinates of the bridge to the island of Koyonsaari: 61°17’07.2″N 30°05’27.0″E

The beaches of Koyonsaari.

Pines grow not only on rocks, but also on sand! Still hardy trees.

View from the rock Leshy to the other side. Numerous islands are visible everywhere.

Insanely beautiful view from the Leshy rock. It's worth coming here just for that!

6. CAPE IMPINIEMI.

This place also belongs to the Ladoga skerries, only the northern ones. The cape is located in the southernmost part Hunucca Peninsula in the north of Ladoga. The nearest village is Impilahti.

What is interesting about the cape? First of all, with its relief - flat bizarre rocks that go into the water cannot leave anyone indifferent. This is really very beautiful! Also here you can see the open Ladoga with its crazy sunrises and sunsets and other weather and natural phenomena. You can even see Ladoga seals in the lake! There are elevations here, and from the hills, of course, the views are even more beautiful. And on the cape there is a small inland lake closed by rocks from Ladoga, where it is calm and quiet. Many people like to rest on it, but I would choose a place for setting up a tent near Ladoga on the cape itself, with a gorgeous panoramic view. We didn't spend the night here, but we had a wonderful day. The place is one of my top favourites! And I really want to come here even longer.

This time we were very lucky with the weather: at first it was cloudy, but then the sun came out, making the landscapes around even more beautiful and brighter. There was calm. But storms often occur on Ladoga, when it is dangerous to go out into open water on a boat. Be sure to keep this in mind and watch the weather forecasts.

How to get to Impiniemi: here you need a car. On our way from St. Petersburg, we pass Sortavala, turn to Ruskeala and drive along the northern coast of Lake Ladoga to the village of Impilakhti. The road that leads to the cape starts in Impilahti and is about 6 km long. But to get to the end by car, you need a very large and passable jeep. At some point, the road, one might say, ends and some kind of it begins: mud (very serious mud!), puddles, rocks and roots.

But there is a good option, which we also used: a boat ride to the very cape. We turned to the guys from "Karelia Park" (this is an extreme park with its own zip line and bungee) and we were thrown right onto the cape. They can also take it back. Vkontakte community . And we decided to walk back. It was quite creepy, as we were told that bears live on the peninsula. So we went with a screaming radio. 😆

Rocks on the cape.

Flat rocks plunging into the water are the hallmark of Cape Impiniemi.

It is from Impiniemi that you can see Valaam. We saw)

The views here are amazing, I tell you the truth! 🙂

7. LYNX MOUNTAIN.

This mountain is my favorite of all the mountains that I have been to in Karelia at the moment of my life. So far) The views from the Lynx Mountain seemed to me the most beautiful. The mountain is easy to climb. In the distance we see a lake and endless beautiful forests. Of course, there are also rocks covered with moss and ubiquitous pine trees of an unusual shape. Here you want to sit on a bench built by someone kind at the very top, and, turning off your brain, just look into the distance and dream.

The name of the mountain was given just like that, for beauty, and there are no lynxes here, as we were told by a local uncle we met. But lynxes are found in Karelia! And I wouldn't be surprised if they are here. They say they were met further south, closer to St. Petersburg.

Lynx Mountain is located near Lake Yanisjärvi (very beautiful lake, by the way!). The nearest village is Vartsila (you need to go north of Ruskeala). You can get to the mountain (well, almost to it, you have to walk a little, about 5 minutes) only by car. On the Internet, there are clubs that organize trips to the mountain on ATVs. Searching, you can find. There are also several recreation centers on the shore of the Janisjärvi, and some of them will probably rent bicycles, or maybe, if asked, they will take you. But you also need to somehow get to the bases. The mountain is quite distant from the main "touristic" places, so it is still most convenient for car tourists to visit it.

Important! These places are a border zone - Finland is only 5 km away, so you need to have passports (a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation is enough). Most likely they will ask where you are going, you can say to the Arsenal recreation center, for example (we were just there).

Lynx Mountain coordinates: 62°8’4″N 30°45’53″E

Breathtaking views from the mountain!

Northern pines, cunningly twisted and growing right on the rocks, are something incredible!

View from the mountain.

Centuries-old rocks of glacial origin.

8. WATERFALL WHITE BRIDGES (YUKANKOSKI).

It is located in the Pitkyaranta region of Karelia. The highest waterfall in South Karelia - its height at different times of the year ranges from 15 to 19 meters. It is especially full-flowing, of course, in the spring. In fact, there are two waterfalls here, few people know about the second one, but it is worth walking further along the beaten paths and you will see it. The second waterfall is smaller. The main attraction is still the first one, which is in the photos below. It is named “White Bridges” because once upon a time there really was a white stone bridge built by the Finns. Now they have laid a new wooden bridge, painted white.

The waterfall is really beautiful! And the surrounding area - picturesque forests - gives even more charm.

To get to the waterfall, you need to go towards Pitkyaranta and then turn off the main road. Everything is pretty clear there, just follow the coordinates. But there is one thing: earlier there was a narrow dirt road, along which it was still possible to get to the parking lot at the waterfall itself (or almost to it). But last year, when we were there for the last time, we saw the beginning of active construction of a large road to the waterfall. We were able to get through, but the road was widened, there were a lot of trucks with sand, we had to let them pass from time to time. How it is now, I don't know. Unfortunately, this place will soon become very crowded with tourists, like Ruskeala.

If there is no car, most travel companies include this waterfall in their programs.

Coordinates of the waterfall White Bridges: 61°45’12″N 31°24’37″E

Waterfall and I, to understand the scale and height.

Top view of the waterfall. The photo, of course, does not show the height.

9. KIVACH WATERFALL.

And this is the largest flat waterfall in Karelia. It is called the pearl of the republic. It is located on the Suna River in the Kivach Nature Reserve. Although Kivach is not as high as the White Bridges, it is unique and beautiful in its own way. In the old days, the waterfall attracted many historical and creative personalities, such as Alexander II or the poet Derzhavin, who even dedicated a poem to him.

On the territory accessible to tourists, there is also a museum and an ecological trail that tells about various plants and trees.

I have a personal story connected with this waterfall. I've wanted to come here since high school! 🙄 Every year, my parents and I traveled from the north and back past the lapel from the highway to Kivach, and I always asked: "Well, let's stop by, well, let's be right there!" But we were always in a hurry, and my persuasions were not heard. Can you imagine my joy when I finally got here? It was already in adulthood and quite recently. But I want to come back here again and again.

Recommendation: there are very (sometimes too) many tourists! Several buses arrive at once. Therefore, it is best to go to the waterfall right from the early morning in order to calmly admire its beauty and take normal photos without cropped other people's arms, legs, and heads.

All tours are also taken to the Kivach waterfall now. firms from St. Petersburg.

Kivach waterfall coordinates: 62°16’4″N 33°58’49″E

Fascinating view of Kivach from the observation deck, which is higher.

Waterfall Kivach. Once it was more stormy. But even now he is very handsome.

10. EXTINUED VOLCANOES OF GIRVAS.

We bet that when you heard the word "volcano", you probably imagined a huge pointed mountain with a crater in the center? Yes, that's how volcanoes look to me too. And our Girvas once sooo long ago (3 billion years ago) most likely was like that. But for such a long time, all traces that resembled a classic volcano were destroyed by nature. All that is left for us is the petrified lava flows in the bed of the Suna River, which we can see and even walk on. You get a very strange feeling from this. Well, it's still beautiful here!

Surprisingly, the volcano was discovered quite recently - in the 60s of the XX century. There is a hydroelectric power station here, the construction of which helped to discover this unique place, which is sometimes called the oldest extinct volcano on the planet. The bed of the Suna River was bare and these same lava flows were opened to the eye.

Girvas is located in the village of the same name and very close to the Kivach waterfall, so their visits can be combined. It is very easy to find and there is no need to turn off the main road anywhere. There is parking here.

Girvas volcano coordinates: 62°29’9″N 33°40’26″E

Solidified lava in the Suna riverbed.

Small waterfall.

Girvas. It's beautiful here and there are always people.

- Take protection against mosquitoes and ticks. Anticipating questions, I will add: no, there are no more bloodsuckers here than anywhere else. I didn't notice it! Of course, the more you go deep into the forests, the more there are, but I repeat, they are here as well as everywhere else. There are a lot of midges in Paanajärvi in ​​the summer, yes. And in some of the places listed above, they were not observed at all. But it is better to take funds, it will be calmer.

- If you travel as a savage and go to places remote from residential areas and / or to forests (Impiniemi, Koyonsaari, Ladoga skerries and Rysya Gora can be included from my list), it is better to always have wild animal scarers with you. 😯 Just in case. It can be, for example, false flares. We have not met bears, lynxes, wild boars, thank God, yet. And we are afraid of them. But as they say - to be afraid of wolves - do not go into the forest. And we want to go!

- In all popular tourist places, it is really best to come to the very opening, while there are no people.

- Take paper cards. Sometimes phones fail or glitch and show geolocation incorrectly. We have several such cards. It is the maps of Karelia that exist.

— Take memory cards for larger cameras and clean your phones in advance) Because here you can take endless pictures, especially if you are the first time.

To be continued. Stay with me!

Karelia is one of the most amazing corners of our country. Travelers have always found, find and will find inspiration here. We present 37 photos of charming Karelia and 22 reasons why you should definitely go here.

For starters, general information. The republic is located in the northwestern part of Russia. In the northeast it is washed by the White Sea. The main relief of the republic is a hilly plain, turning in the west into the West Karelian Upland. The glacier, retreating to the north, greatly changed the relief of Karelia - moraine ridges, lakes, kams, lake basins appeared in many.

A few words about the weather

The weather in Karelia is changeable. The climate itself is quite mild, with a lot of precipitation, it changes on the territory of Karelia from maritime to temperate continental. Winter is snowy, cool, but usually without severe frosts. Summer is short and warm, also with frequent rains.

The fauna of Karelia is incredibly rich: 285 species of birds live here, 36 of which are listed in the Red Book of Karelia. The most common birds are finches. There is upland game - hazel grouse, black grouse, white partridges, capercaillie. Every spring geese come to Karelia from warm countries. Birds of prey are widespread: owls, hawks, golden eagles, marsh harriers. Of the waterfowl: ducks, loons, waders, many gulls and the largest diving duck in Karelia - the common eider, valuable for its warm down.

The most famous Karelian reserves: Kivach, Kostomukshsky, and the Kem-Ludsky section of the Kandalaksha Reserve. Ecological routes are laid on their territories, museums of nature work.

20 reasons to go to Karelia

And now - in more detail. Why do you need to go to Karelia and what to see there?

Visit the Solovetsky Monastery

The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery is located on the Solovetsky Islands. It arose in the 1420s-1430s, rebuilt in stone by the labors of St. Philip (Kolychev). In 1669–1676 the monastery was besieged by the tsarist troops as one of the centers of resistance to the Nikonian transformations. Under Soviet rule, the first special purpose camp in the country operated on the territory of the monastery. A significant part of the prisoners were the so-called "political" - the clergy, officers of the white movement, the Social Revolutionaries, the intelligentsia. Monastic life was resumed on October 25, 1990. In 1992, the complex of monuments of the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, in 1995 - in the State Code of Especially Valuable Objects of Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation.

Visit the Valaam Monastery

The Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior is located on the islands of the Valaam archipelago. After the October Revolution, Valaam became part of the newly formed Finland, thanks to which it was preserved, and the monastery turned out to be a church of a national minority (the main religion of Finland is Lutheranism). Beginning in 1925, services began to be held in Finnish, and the islands themselves were thoroughly strengthened in military engineering.

The Finnish Orthodox Church is new-timer, adopted the Western Paschal, forcing the Valaam Monastery to switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. The transition to a new style in the 1920s was the reason for the destruction of the unity of Valaam. During the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939–1940, the monastery fell into the combat zone, and the monks, who by that time had taken Finnish citizenship, left the islands in early February 1940, taking with them all the most valuable things (including the original of the icon of the Valaam Mother of God, other shrines and bells). They settled in the town of Heinävesi in Finland, in the Papinniemi estate, and founded the New Valaam Monastery. At the end of the Great Patriotic War, the monastery was attached to the Moscow Patriarchate for 12 years (1945–1957), but territorially remained subordinate to the Finnish Orthodox Church. In 1977 services in Church Slavonic ceased, and in 1981 the last Russian monk died. Now the monastery continues to operate as a Finnish Orthodox monastery and receives more than 100,000 visitors a year.

Visit the Kizhi Museum-Reserve

The Kizhi Museum-Reserve is one of the largest open-air museums in Russia, a unique historical, cultural and natural complex, a world-famous architectural ensemble, located on the Kizhi Island of Lake Onega. The ensemble consists of two churches and a bell tower of the 18th-19th centuries, surrounded by a single fence - a reconstruction of the traditional churchyard fences.

According to one of the legends, the Church of the Transfiguration was built with one ax (originally without nails) by the carpenter Nestor. The carpenter threw the ax into the lake so that no one could repeat the same majestic building.

In 1990, the Kizhi Pogost was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, in 1993, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the architectural collection of the open-air museum was included in the State Code of Especially Valuable Cultural Heritage Sites of the Peoples of the Russian Federation.

See Lake Ladoga

This is the largest lake in Europe: its area is 18400 square meters. km. The lake is an inexhaustible source of drinking water for St. Petersburg. The maximum length is about 200 km, width - 130 km. The greatest depth is 230 m.

Lake Ladoga is rich in islands (up to 500 islands with an area of ​​about 300 sq. km), almost all of them are located in the north of the lake. Among them, the Valaam Islands stand out for their size, with coastal slopes sheerly descending into the water. Of the other islands, the largest are Konevets, Vossinansaari, Heinäsensaari, Mantinsaari, Lunkulansaari. There are very few islands in the southern half of the lake and their sizes are small: Zelentsy (in the Shlisselburg Bay), Ptinov (in the Volkhov Bay).

Admire the Kivach waterfall

Kivach - the highest flat waterfall in Europe - belongs to the geomorphological monuments of nature of the federal rank. The waterfall is the second largest flat waterfall in Europe (after the Rhine). The water falls in four ledges from a height of 10.7 m. The waterfall arose as a result of sawing through the thickness of loose Quaternary deposits to the roof of the diabase ridge by the waters of the Suna River. Falling down from the cliff, the stream deepened the river bed in the thickness of lacustrine loams and sandy loams below the ridge. Kivach has gained popularity since the time of the first Karelian governor G.R.Derzhavin. In 1931, a reserve of the same name was formed around the waterfall. A visit to the reserve and the waterfall is included in almost all excursions in Karelia.

See the pagan sanctuary of the Saami

The pagan sanctuaries of the Saami are often mentioned in the folklore of Karelia. The largest sanctuaries, consisting of a variety of stone cult complexes, are located on the islands of Russian Kuzov, German Kuzov in the Kuzov archipelago in the Kemsky Bay, on Mount Vottovaara and Mount Kivakka in North Karelia. On about. Oleshin in the Kuzov archipelago in the Kemsky Bay and on Cape Krasny near the borders with the Murmansk region, cult stones form "stone labyrinths". There are also stone sanctuaries in South Karelia: on the islands of Radkolye and Oroshostrov, near the village of Sennaya Guba. Here, the stone cult masonry looks like horseshoes, rings, less often - spirals.

See the oldest resort in Russia

"Marcial Waters" is the first Russian resort, founded by Peter the Great in 1719 on the basis of ferruginous mineral springs. It is located 54 km north of Petrozavodsk. Peter I repeatedly came here for treatment with his family and court nobility. By the time of the first visit of the king, three wooden palaces for the royal family and a large building with 20 rooms with an earthen hall were built, connected by a corridor with sources. Since then, the ferruginous springs have been called "marcial waters" in honor of Mars, the god of war and iron.

Find withthe oldest marble fragments in Russia (XVIII century)

They are located near the village of Belaya Gora. Tivdia marble was discovered in the middle of the 18th century by the merchant Martyanov. Since that time, its industrial development began - marble breaking in the villages of Tivdia and Belaya Gora located near the villages. Deposits of Tivdia marble turned out to be necessary for St. Petersburg under construction.

"Dreamcatchers", North Karelia, Engozero. Author - Alexey Kharitonov

Seethe world's only raspberry quartzite quarry

In the Prionezhsky region there are several deposits of quartzite, among which the most interesting outcrops of these rocks near the village of Shoksha. Outcrops of red and crimson quartzites and old quarries have been declared natural monuments.

Shoksha quartzite is a strong and durable decorative facing stone. The extraction of Shoksha quartzites began in the 18th century - they were then used to decorate the palaces of St. Petersburg. Monochromatic dark crimson Shoksha quartzites, which were called "Shoksha porphyry", were especially valued. Red quartzites were also used for the manufacture of paving stones and crushed stone.

Later, Shoksha quartzites were used in the design of Napoleon's sarcophagus in the Les Invalides in Paris, the Lenin Mausoleum and the monument to the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, the memorial on Mamaev Kurgan in Volgograd, the Victory Monument in St. Petersburg, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Petrozavodsk, and many other objects.

Walk through Europe's largest national park

This is what Vodlozersky Park is considered to be. The territory of the park is a unique for Europe area of ​​untouched nature of such a large size. Within its borders there is an extensive drainage basin of one of the largest lakes in Northern Europe - Vodlozero. The park has preserved unique natural complexes of the middle European taiga: clean lakes and rivers, natural coniferous forests and swamps inhabited by the indigenous inhabitants of the taiga, including rare and endangered species. Three elements dominate in this region - water, wild forest and swamp.

The Vodlozersky National Park was created in 1991 by the decision of the Government of Russia to preserve the natural, historical and cultural heritage of the Vodlozero region, and became the first protected object of this level in the European North of Russia. In 2001, by decision of UNESCO, it was given the status of a biosphere reserve, the first in the system of national parks in Russia. The park is a federal environmental, scientific and environmental education institution with a large staff of various specialists and state inspectors for the protection of the territory.

Explore the largest collection of rock art in Europe

More than 3,000 images dating back to the 4th millennium BC can be seen in the north, in the Belomorsky region, in the lower reaches of the Vyg River, 8 km upstream of its confluence with the Soroka Bay of the White Sea, and in the southeast of the republic - in the Pudozh region , on the eastern coast of Lake Onega, 18 km south of the village of Shalsky.

Karelian petroglyphs - images of animals, birds, fish, boats, people and incomprehensible signs carved on the surface of coastal rocks composed of granites - are world famous. "Stone Chronicle", "Bible of the Stone Age" - this is how researchers characterize them. The drawings were knocked out with quartz chippers to a depth of 2 - 3 mm.

The archaeological complex "White Sea Petroglyphs" includes drawings on the rocks and more than 30 discovered sites of an ancient man dating back to the period III - II millennium BC. Petroglyphs of the White Sea on the islands of Shoyrukshin, Yerpin Pudas, Bolshoy Malinin - these are over 2 thousand individual figures, occupy the 4th place in Northern Europe in terms of the number of images. They are located on an area of ​​almost 2 sq. km. The nearest cluster of petroglyphs to Belomorsk is Besovy Sledki and Yerpin Pudas.

The largest and most interesting accumulations of engravings are located 1.5 km northwest of Besovye Sledkov - on Staraya and Novaya Zalavruga. They are among the world masterpieces of hunting monumental rock art of the primitive era. Many of the images are well preserved.

Conquer the highest mountain in Karelia -Nuorunen

The height of Mount Nuorunen is 576 meters above sea level, which makes it the highest mark of the Maanselka Range within the Republic of Karelia and the highest point of the Republic of Karelia. The mountain is located in the northwestern part of the Loukhi region, on the territory of the Paanajärvi National Park, in its southernmost part.

Hunt for the Northern Lights

In order to see one of the most enchanting natural phenomena, it is not at all necessary to go to distant Norway. Northern Lights can be seen in Karelia. Very often, people go to the village of Nilmoguba, located on the shores of the White Sea in the Loukhsky district of Karelia on the Arctic Circle, for the northern lights. Green flashes in Karelia can be seen already at the end of August. For example, in the summer of 2013, residents of Petrozavodsk, the Solovetsky Islands and the village of Yushkozero saw the northern lights in August due to a magnetic storm.

See the longest river in the republic

The Kem is the largest river in Karelia. Its length is 358 km. Starting at the border with Finland, the river crosses the whole of Karelia in the latitudinal direction and flows into the White Sea. Kem originates from Lake Lower Kuitto, but hydrologists consider it the actual beginning of the river. Kurzhma, which flows into the Upper Kuitto. On its way Kurzhma-Kem is connected by 19 lakes, which make up to 40% of their total length.

The Kem River has a steep fall. Previously, there were up to 35 rapids and waterfalls on it. Among the latter, the Uzhma waterfall stood out, the height of which was 11.8 m with a very large flow of water, the Vochazh and Pad-Yuma waterfalls were also famous. With the construction of the Kem hydroelectric power station cascade, the river was regulated, turning into a chain of reservoirs, rapids and waterfalls disappeared.

At the mouth of the river lies the historic city of Kem.

Go fishing on the largest inland reservoir in Karelia - Vygozero

Vygozero is located in the middle part of Karelia. The lake covers an area of ​​1159 sq. km. In terms of area, it ranks third among the lakes of Karelia (after Ladoga and Onega lakes). The reservoir is elongated in a general direction from northwest to southeast, divided into separate parts and large bays. The number of islands is 529 with a total area of ​​126 sq. km. Vygozero is a shallow body of water with a complex structure of the bottom topography. The average depth is 6.2 m, the maximum depth is about 18 m. 11 species of fish live in the Vygozero reservoir: lake salmon, vendace, whitefish, pike, roach, ide, bream, pike perch, perch, ruff and burbot. The main commercial fishes are bream, vendace, pike, burbot, perch and roach.

A village on the banks of the Megrega River, Olonetsky District, Karelia. Author - Denis Garipov

Admire the deepest river in Karelia

The most full-flowing in Karelia is the Vodla River, which flows into Lake Onega from the east. Its width reaches 60 meters. It has more than 20 rapids, the most famous of which is a wide and beautiful waterfall. Padun, 2 m high. Padun was a significant obstacle for sailing boats on the ancient trade route from Veliky Novgorod through Lake Onega, the Vodla River, the Onega River to the White Sea. For this reason, it became known earlier than other Karelian waterfalls.

South of the mouth of the Vodla is the famous Cape Besov Nos, which gave its name to a large group of well-known Onega petroglyphs, and 30 km upstream - the historic city of Pudozh.

Visit the most sparsely populated region of the republic

This is considered the Loukhsky district. According to statistics, per sq.m. there is only 1 person.

Loukhsky municipal district is the northernmost, largest district of the Republic of Karelia. Its area is 22.5 thousand sq. km. In the North, it borders on the Murmansk region, adjoining the Arctic Circle, in the south - on the Kalevalsky and Kemsky regions. In the west and northwest, the border of the region coincides with the Russian-Finnish state border. In the east, the border of the region runs along the White Sea, the coastline is 200 km.

According to the 2002 census, 55.7% of the Vepsians of Karelia already lived in Petrozavodsk. In 1994, the Veps national volost was formed on a part of the territory of the Prionezhsky district of Karelia (since 01.01.2006 it was abolished). The population of the Vepsian national volost lives in 14 settlements, united in three national Vepsian village councils. The former center of the volost - the village of Sheltozero - is located 84 km from Petrozavodsk. Currently, there are three Vepsian rural settlements on the territory of Karelia: Sheltozerskoye, Ryboretskoye and Shokshinskoye.

Touch the most valuable tree

The famous Karelian birch is famous for the amazing beauty of its wood. In 1984, 4 sanctuaries of Karelian birch were established in Karelia: "Utuki" in the Kondopoga region (with an area of ​​5.7 ha), "Kokkorevo" and "Tsarevichi" in the Prionezhsky region (with a total area of ​​28.9 ha), "Anisimovshchina" in Medvezhyegorsk district (area 6.1 ha). In Karelia, there are about three thousand trees in natural populations. The Republic has approved a regional target program for the conservation of the Karelian birch gene pool and the reproduction of its resources. .

Search for the rarest animal in Karelia - garden dormouse

Dormouse belongs to the rodents of the Dormouse family. Small (body length 115 - 150 mm, tail 95 - 120 mm), rather brightly colored woody animal. The top of the body is brownish-brown, the sides are somewhat lighter than the back, the throat, chest, belly, paws and ears are white, a black stripe runs from the eye to the ear. The tail is sharply tricolored above. The long hair at the end of the tail is as if combed to the sides and forms a wide flat brush. The muzzle is pointed, “mouse-like”, with very long sensory hairs sticking out to the sides. The paws of the "tree type" are tenacious, with highly developed calluses on the soles and sharp, curved claws. Garden dormouse is a very rare animal in Karelia. It was found only in the Ladoga region: in the vicinity of Sortavala, Impilahti and Kiryavalahti. Contrary to the name, this rodent usually does not live in gardens, but settles in deciduous and mixed forests with dense and diverse undergrowth. Active mainly at dusk and at night. The globular nest is arranged in hollows, stumps, or simply in the dense branches of a tree.

"Bonsai in Karelia". Engozero, small island, Karelia. Author - Alexey Kharitonov

See the largest swamp in Karelia - Yupyauzhshuo

The area of ​​the swamp is about 200 square kilometers, which is much larger than the area of ​​Petrozavodsk. It is located in the Kalevala region, in the lower reaches of the Kepa River, to the northeast of the place where it flows into the Kem River.

Walk around Petrozavodsk

Finally, don't forget to see the capital of Karelia - Petrozavodsk. The city is located on the shores of the Petrozavodsk Bay of Lake Onega. Distance from Moscow - 924 km, from St. Petersburg - 412 km. Population - 271.1 thousand inhabitants (2009), area - 135 sq. km. The city of Petrozavodsk, like St. Petersburg, was founded by Peter the Great in 1703. During the Northern War with Sweden, a weapons factory was built. The settlement next to the plant on the Lososinka River was called Petrovsky Sloboda. In 1777, Catherine II, by her decree, assigned the status of a city to the settlement. Petrozavodsk was a place of exile for many political figures. Destroyed during the Great Patriotic War, the city was rebuilt in the postwar years.

In the center of the historical part of the city of Petrozavodsk, you can see a fragment of the construction of 1774: the former Round Square, surrounded by 2 semicircular administrative buildings with outbuildings in the style of classicism. In 1873, a bronze monument to Peter I was opened on the Round Square, which was later moved to the embankment, which is one of the main attractions of Petrozavodsk. The embankment is trimmed with red porphyry. On it are the compositions "Wave of Friendship", "Mermaid" and "Starry Sky". The monuments-gifts from the twin cities "Fishermen", "Tübingen Panel" and "Wishing Tree" are very interesting. The Karelian State Museum of Local Lore is located on Lenin Square (former Round Square). Its expositions tell about the history and culture of the region. The Museum of Fine Arts presents works by both modern and masters of the 18th-20th centuries.

Among the temples of the city revered by the inhabitants - the Cathedral in the name of Alexander Nevsky - an architectural monument of the XIX century, Holy Cross and Catherine's Church. In the area of ​​​​the village of Solomennoe, ancient churches of the 18th century - Sretenskaya and Petropavlovskaya - have been preserved. In the city of Petrozavodsk there is one of the oldest parks in Russia - the Petrovsky Garden, now it is the Park of Culture and Leisure, in which a monument to the Petrovsky Plant is erected.

History wheel. Monument to Peter I in Petrozavodsk in the rays of the rising sun. Author - Mikhail Meshkov

Tourists are attracted by a place near the village of Solomennoe, called the tract Devil's chair. This is a stone platform on the edge of the Great Vaara mountain, resembling a chair in shape. The height of the seat of this "chair" is 80 meters, the back is 113 meters. From here you have a beautiful view of the lake and the city. The Kivach reserve is interesting, where you can look at the waterfalls. 44 km from Petrozavodsk is the so-called "Svyatozero necklace", where ancient chapels, churches, houses have been preserved. The place is so named after an island with a "holy" grove of fir trees. The miraculous marcial water, named after the god Mars, can be tasted by visiting the Marcial Waters resort. The resort was founded by Peter I in 1719. It is a museum-reserve. For sports lovers, there is a Ski Complex and an Equestrian Sports Complex.

In preparing the article, materials were used

February 10th, 2016 01:10 pm

In my previous posts, I showed several cities in Karelia -,. Ahead is still waiting for the capital of the republic - Petrozavodsk. But Karelia is famous not for cities, but for nature - unique, varied, captivating, endless. And in my stories about cities, I would like to take a break to show those pieces of Karelian nature that we visited. We have not seen about the same number of well-known and easily accessible natural objects of the republic, and it’s not worth talking about the dense and secluded corners of Karelia, which you just can’t get to. Therefore, I hope that this story about the nature of Karelia will not be the last in the history of my blog.

Under the cut - Kivach waterfall, Lake Onega in summer and winter, the coast of the White Sea at midnight, an abandoned fishing port in Belomorsk, White Sea petroglyphs, water discharge at the Girvas waterfall blocked by a dam, Kizhi, Ruskeala marble canyon and several more views.

1. I'll start with, in my opinion, the most famous natural attraction of the republic - the Kivach waterfall. It is located near Kondopoga, on the Suna River. A reserve of the same name is organized around it. A civilized path with several viewing platforms is laid to the waterfall itself. The ticket price (now - 150 rubles) also includes a visit to a small museum of nature and an arboretum.

2. We got to Kivach in the amazing weather of the beginning of winter, with pure snow and a temperature just below zero. Now it seems to me that he could not appear more beautiful.

3. Kivach is the fourth (in some sources - the second) largest flat waterfall in Europe. At the beginning of the 20th century, a cascade of dams and hydroelectric power plants was created on the Suna, one of which - Kondopoga - we met in a post about Kondopoga. Another - Paleozerskaya - is waiting below. Because of them, the Kivach waterfall has seriously lost its power and picturesqueness. However, the latter is still enough for him:

4. Karelia is simply dotted with lakes. If you look at the map, you will be surprised and admired not only by the number of water spaces, but also by their bizarre shapes. Some artist painted them as if with trembling hands. And as soon as people in the labyrinth of these lakes, oxbow lakes, bays, estuaries and bays were able to orient themselves, find places suitable for life, build roads? It is easier to assess all the intricacies of water in the territory of Karelia from above. On earth, all that remains is to enjoy the views of the water surface, which regularly appear here and there.
Lake Onega in a snowstorm, within the boundaries of Petrozavodsk. Because of the wind, standing on the shore is no more than a few seconds. Lead water, visibility - several tens of meters:

5. Finland is proudly called "the country of a thousand lakes" by its inhabitants. Karelia, however, is not much inferior to it, and in terms of the number of reservoirs per square kilometer, it ranks first in the world. And if you remember about the middle lane and Siberia, then Russia, by analogy with Finland, can be called "the country of millions of lakes."
Lake Onega in the middle of summer, the city of Medvezhyegorsk. It seems to be not a storm, but still restless:

6. And this is Lake Onega in clear weather. Onega is the 2nd largest lake in Europe. The first, Ladoga, however, is also located in Karelia, and we will see it later in this post.

8. Generally speaking, I already have a hefty post about the nature of the Karelian coast of the White Sea. It can also be attributed with a clear conscience to the "beauties of Karelia", but we stayed there for quite a long time and studied the area in great detail, so as not to be limited to fragments. Well, the nature on the White Sea is purely specific, very different from the rest of Karelia. Although formally this is Karelia, this area can be easily identified as a separate natural and ethnographic region of Pomorie, the second half of which is located in the Arkhangelsk region.

9. Apart in Belomorsk, about which in general, there is an abandoned fishing port. Here you can enjoy the views and air of the White Sea in the company of rusting iron and abandoned buildings:

10. Another object that I put out of the brackets of the story about Belomorsk is petroglyphs. These are ancient drawings carved in stone. They are concentrated a couple of kilometers from the city, in the floodplain of the Vyg River, and are scattered over a fairly large area. The second place in terms of their density is located on a kind of stone glade. The place is called "Zalavruga":

11. You will have to drive off the highway onto a broken primer and ride along it for a couple of kilometers to the river bank. There is a large forest parking lot, and then you have to walk. First, this beautiful wooden bridge is overcome, then another two kilometers through the swampy Karelian forest. If the weather is rainy - wear shoes that you don’t mind! The path is not equipped in any way.
The bridge here was demolished more than once. Its latest version, as well as some other infrastructure, is being built and maintained here by a local enthusiast - Alexei Verbov. This bridge, by the way, was also flooded a week after this shot was taken when water was discharged from the Belomorskaya hydroelectric power station, but it seemed to have survived.

12. Alexei himself can be found directly on Zalavrug in a tent with souvenirs. He does not refuse tourists a brief overview of the history and territory of petroglyphs and answers to questions. We bought from him a booklet of his authorship with brief information about these places, which we did not regret later. The territory itself is under the jurisdiction of the White Sea Museum of Local Lore. The republican authorities don't seem to forget about petroglyphs either, and there is hope that someday a tourist site will be centrally equipped here, at least like on Kivach.
Most of the drawings are not striking, they need to be looked intently. In the photo they look brighter and more contrast than live:

13. I must say that the White Sea accumulation of petroglyphs in Karelia is far from the only one. Another place with a comparable number of rock paintings is located to the south, on Cape Besov Nos on the eastern coast of Lake Onega.
As far as I understood Alexei, this is the largest rock carving of a deer in the world:

14. But even the White Sea petroglyphs are not limited to one Zalavruga. Maybe less bright and in lesser concentration, but they are everywhere here within a radius of a couple of kilometers. If you allocate more time for this, you can make a voyage on foot with a passing inspection of hundreds of drawings from the route through Zalavruga to the Belomorskaya hydroelectric power station, and from it to return to the city. In general, petroglyphs and hydraulic structures and processes are inextricably linked here, because the "deposit" of petroglyphs is located in the middle of the Vyg river delta, in close proximity to two hydroelectric power stations. This place, for example, is generally in the potential flood zone when water is released at the dam:

16. The bunker is opened only in special cases, not for mere mortals. It is located right at the dam of the next hydroelectric power station in the cascade - Vygostrovskaya - at the only asphalt road in the district that leads from Belomorsk to the Kola highway.

17. From the dam of the Vygostrovskaya hydroelectric power station, a view of the village of Zolotets with a church opens up. Along the road leading from Belomorsk to the highway, there are several villages and a couple of large towns. Because of this, a false feeling of comfort and habitation arises. In fact, the places here are very deaf. In addition to these three villages along the road, there are living settlements only along the White Sea Canal, but there are a couple of those. And according to statistics, all of them, including the city of Belomorsk, are rapidly losing population.

18. Another Karelian waterfall - Girvas. It surpasses Kivach in its power and picturesqueness, but you can see it only a couple of times a year. The fact is that the waterfall, located on the same Suna River as Kivach, is included in the Sun cascade of hydroelectric power stations, and the Paleozerskaya hydroelectric power station was built in its place.

19. The channel of the waterfall is dammed and used as an empty spillway. "Include" it only at the end of May, after the spring flood, and on special occasions. We were lucky to be on one of these occasions: the summer of 2015 turned out to be rainy, and the reservoir located above was overflowing. To restore balance in the system, the shutters holding back the waterfall were opened, and a swift stream of water rushed down.

20. The spectacle is fascinating: unlike the languid aristocratic Kivach, the dashing Girvas, yearning for his stone dungeon, rages with a powerful stream, and God forbid something or someone gets in his way.

22.

23. Let's return to Lake Onega. Not on the coast, but deep into its expanses of water. On the "Meteor" from Petrozavodsk we are going to the famous island of Kizhi.To be honest, we went there with a share of skepticism, for show. It seems like it’s impossible not to see Kizhi, but at the same time, there was no strong desire - they thought there would be a lot of beautiful architecture, blurred by crowds of tourists and infrastructure for selling everything in the world, as is often the case in super popular tourist places. And, as usual, they were wrong.

24. Kizhi is not just an exhibition of wooden architecture, it is a real time machine. There are cafes and souvenirs only at the pier. On the territory itself, the atmosphere of a traditional Onega settlement is strictly and meticulously recreated. As far as I understand, museum staff on the island do not just work - they live here, in the broadest sense of the word. They grow and spin flax, cultivate the land, keep livestock and poultry. All this is successfully woven into an interactive experience for tourists, but at the same time it is not only an entertaining decor, but also a part of their life. Unusual? Strange?Even more strange was the fact that in the northern part of the island, which is not a museum, several families of descendants of the indigenous inhabitants of the Kizhi Pogost live in the village. They have nothing to do with the museum, they just have houses here inherited from their ancestors. They also live in subsistence farming. Well, they probably still have something from a crazy tourist flow. Among them there are also Old Believers, to whom the museum staff treats in a very peculiar way, because. they are reluctant to make contact, and they enter into marriages only with other Old Believers.
Villages on the Onega Islands. Quite inhabited and, judging by the appearance of the houses, country houses. For most Russians, the idea of ​​traveling to the country on a boat or motorboat probably sounds wild. He put the dog in the stern, loaded the seedlings and forward. No Friday traffic. You just depend on the weather.

26. Getting to Kizhi is expensive and not so easy. The flow of tourists here is just crazy. Up to eight flights of tourist Meteors, one and a half pairs of regular flights, and many large cruise ships stop here a day. We dismiss the latter immediately, because. no one will use them as a way to drop specifically to Kizhi. Due to a strange coincidence, the flights go extremely inconveniently (at night - to the island, in the morning - back) and there is almost no information about them in publicly available sources, you can apparently learn something about them only in Petrozavodsk. Yes, and spending the night in Kizhi is a difficult question. As far as I understand, there are no full-fledged hotels here, and the stay of tourists with tents is strictly limited. Remain tourist "Meteors". All of them, again by a strange coincidence, belong to a fashionable Petrozavodsk hotel. The fleet itself is obviously of Soviet construction, and one can only guess how such a number of ships, obviously, and previously used on this route, abruptly ended up in private hands.
I will not talk about Kizhi in detail. Firstly, there is already a lot of material about them on the Internet. Secondly, the photos do not convey even half of the beauty of this place. To appreciate Kizhi, you need to come here.

27. Of course, the prices are just crazy. You can ride back and forth on one for about 4 thousand. On the island itself, at the same time, you spend a little more than four hours, which is catastrophically little. This price includes transportation itself, an entrance ticket to the museum and an excursion, which is quite good in itself. It seems that there are options to pay only for travel, without an excursion, and not for the same "Meteor" back and forth, as they sell to most tourists, but for different ones, so that you can spend the whole day on the island. But being in Moscow before the trip, we could not find out about all these options. Finally, even these expensive and not very interesting tickets can not be bought just like that. You need to book 3 months in advance, otherwise there will be no places.
In addition to churches, there are also various barns, craft houses, a mill and, of course, dwellings of both poor peasants and wealthy families.

28. The funny thing is that such a stir is created mainly by foreign tourists. Kizhi for them is one of the main points in traveling around Russia, since they are located not far from St. Petersburg - the main magnet for foreign tourists in the Russian Federation. Plus, the infrastructure and the process of serving foreigners in Kizhi have been honed since the Soviet era. Among the guests are not only Finns, as one might think. For a short stay on the island, they managed to see the Chinese, the Japanese, the Germans, and the South Europeans. According to the guide, only a couple of years ago the number of Russian tourists in Kizhi for the first time in history exceeded 50%.
An ancient cemetery on the territory of the Kizhi churchyard:

29. If on the previous frame - the second largest lake in Europe, Onega, then this is the first - Ladoga, in the area atmospheric the village of Lyaskelya, which apparently well preserved Finnish non-ceremonial architecture. It was a surprise for me that the nature of the west of Karelia is strikingly different from the center: some rocky hills of appreciable height appear here, which creates the impression that we are approaching the mountains. Together with the endless expanses of water, this gives a rather beautiful effect:

31. But thanks to Lake Ruskeala alone, it would not be so popular and interesting: there are simply beautiful places in our country in bulk. It's also about the amazing organization of space and infrastructure. Laid through the park thoughtful and paths comfortable for walking, a lot of stands with clear and interesting information have been installed. Along the way, there are all kinds of additional entertainment: bungee jumping, ziplining, boating, descent into the caves. At the entrance to the territory - several cafes and shops. All this at a very reasonable price and in excellent condition.
Trolley in action:

32. As far as I know, all this was done by private individuals. The place is neither a nature reserve nor a museum. It seems that people traveled around the world, looked "how" to equip such places and gathered the best here. Everything here is done with skill, soul, love and care for nature, at the level of the best European tourist sites. For Ruskeala its owners are hugerespect. If only there were more places like this in our country...
Abandoned marble quarry:

33. Another set of waterfalls- Ruskeala, not far from the mountain park. Not as large-scale, of course, as previously shown, but if you ended up in Ruskeala, and there is no time to go to large waterfalls (they are at least 300 kilometers away), these ones will do. For nothing, that they still cannot be denied picturesqueness:

34. In general, there are a lot of waterfalls in Karelia, and not all of them are in such convenient transport accessibility. You can go to some of them with a tour in some kind of UAZ or Niva, I would regret my passenger car. To others - only with a long hike.

35. An unexpectedly beautiful place turned out to be the exit from the M-18 "Kola" highway to the city of Medvezhyegorsk. There really are some low mountains overgrown with trees, and the damp cool weather only adds to the associations with the Transfegerash highway in Romania or Rosa Peak in Sochi.

36 pictures are, of course, a drop in the ocean of Karelian beauties. But this is enough to understand how beautiful it is and why Karelia is so popular with tourists. On the other hand, live it all looks much more impressive. Before the trip, of course, I saw photos of all these places, but then it seemed that there was "nothing special", nature as nature. Seen with my own eyes, Karelia is perceived in a completely different way. I hope I will return there and visit what did not fit into this trip.
The last point of my story about Karelia will be its capital - Petrozavodsk. A fairly good regional center by the standards of modern Russia can only be shown in a few parts. Let's start next time.

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"Land of the Forests" is the first thought that may come to a resident of the European part of Russia about Karelia. A huge number of rivers and lakes - such a ratio of land and water surface is not found anywhere else in Russia. Real Karelia is a virgin forest and a clear lake. This is a white night, fishing, blueberries and rafting on mountain rivers in summer. These are skis, dog sleds, snowmobiles and snow-white expanses in winter. Karelia is different, and this is its charm. The climate in Karelia is such that you can come both in winter and in summer - the traveler will always have something to do. On the territory of the republic there are a large number of reserves, several famous monasteries and ancient villages, sports resorts and cultural sites. The logistics center of the republic is the capital - Petrozavodsk.

About what you can visit in one of the most beautiful regions of Russia - in a special TASS project.

Marble quarry and millennium drawing

You can start with waterfalls, which are located four kilometers from Ruskeala. For example, from the Ahvenkoski waterfall, where scenes from the film "The Dawns Here Are Quiet" were filmed.

Not far from it is another waterfall, Ryumäkoski, on which stands a dilapidated Finnish hydroelectric power station built in the 20th century. It looks very impressive: red worn brick, empty eye sockets of windows. Nothing has been preserved inside, but a bridge has been preserved near the hydroelectric power station, where you can stand, listening to the sounds of falling water.

After lunch, go to the marble quarry. In summer, you can swim in the lake itself and put up tents on the shore. Climb down, rent a boat, look up at the quarry and swim into one of several caves. Along the quarry there are a dozen viewing platforms with benches where you can have a bite to eat. On weekend evenings, Ruskeal turns on artificial lighting around the perimeter of the quarry - it looks very beautiful.

On the territory of the quarry, you can find an artificial grotto, where you can go down in winter and go ice skating. At the end of the walk you will find the exposition "Stone Through Time". These are blocks of marble stone that are billions of years old.

PRICES IN RUSKEAL

Recreation center - 3000 rubles for two guests, 7000 for eight.

A room in a Lutheran parish - no more than 1,500 rubles.

Food - from 100 rubles for a hamburger to 1000 for a multi-course lunch.

Entrance to the park - 200 rubles.

Rent a team with likes (in winter) - 2000 rubles.

LADOGA Skerries

The most beautiful landscapes begin to the northeast of Koinosaari Island, which closes Terva, a village with a thousand-year history, from the open Ladoga with its beaches. From the bay, closed from waves and wind, it is most convenient to start the route along the famous Ladoga skerries.

Renting a boat will cost from 1,000 rubles per day, a single room at a camp site - from 1,500 rubles per day.

NATIONAL PARK "PAANAJARVI"

Almost 1 million hectares of land in Karelia are occupied by specially protected natural areas: national parks, reserves and nature parks. One of the places closest to virgin nature is the Paanajärvi National Park, located in the north-west of Karelia, in the Loukhi region.

On its territory there is no cellular communication, running water with electricity - here you can really relax.

It is worth climbing the highest mountain in Karelia - Nourunen (you need to walk 21 km, and the height of the mountain is 576 m). From the top there is a beautiful view - lakes and forests to the horizon.

If distances scare you, you can climb the lower mountain - Kivakku, the path here will be only 5 km. The view from it is no better.

"Paanajärvi" is named so because of the lake, which is called the pearl of the park. This is the deepest among all lakes in Karelia, Finland and Sweden (the deepest point is 128 m) with crystal clear water.

On the lake you can rent a boat and go fishing, walk on the water to the Mantykoski and Selkakoski waterfalls and even swim. In front of the waterfalls there is a high Ruskealia rock, red from iron ore.

The number of visitors to the park is controlled: no more than 200 people per 5 thousand hectares can be in it at the same time - due to the fact that there are not very many guest houses, the rest will simply have nowhere to live.

In addition, Paanajärvi has been given a special conservation status, so it is important to study what can and cannot be done in it.

PRICES IN "PAANAJARVI"

Renting a house in the park - 700 rubles per person per day.

Boat rental - 1000 rubles per day.

Winter one-hour tour of the park - 750 rubles.

Winter six-hour tour of the park - 2800 rubles.

Entrance to the park - 100 rubles.

KIVACH WATERFALL

Another place to visit is the Kivach waterfall on the Suna River. In 1931, a reserve of the same name was formed around it.

The height of the waterfall is 11 m, its water falls from several ledges. Kivach is the second largest flat waterfall in Europe after the Rhine. It costs only 150 rubles to look at it. Nearby there is an inexpensive cafe and a souvenir shop.

The territory of the reserve itself, accessible to tourists, is quite small (9 hectares) and includes only a waterfall, a museum of nature, a dendro collection and a monument to those who died in the Great Patriotic War.

petroglyphs

Karelia is also known for its petroglyphs - primitive rock paintings. The largest groups are located on the capes of Lake Onega and along the banks of the Vyg River. Their age is 5-6 thousand years, and they are included in the list of 7 wonders of the Finno-Ugric world.

White Sea petroglyphs located in the town of Zalavruga, on the islands of the Vyg River, about 6-8 km from its confluence with the White Sea. Most of the figures are small - 20-25 cm. You will clearly see images of people and animals, scenes of hunting, battles and ritual processions. In addition, here is the oldest image of a man on skis in Europe.

Onega petroglyphs located in separate groups that stretch along the coast for almost 21 km. They are scattered on the rocks of the Besov Nos peninsula, capes Kladovets, Gagazhiy, Peri Nos and on the island of Gury. Here it seems that the petroglyphs were carved by mystics - what is the famous triad: images of a "demon", a catfish and an otter. According to legend, the monks of the Murom Holy Assumption Monastery in the 15th century knocked out a Christian cross on top of the triad in order to "neutralize evil spirits."

PRICES FOR VISITING KIVACH AND PETROGLIFFS

Entrance to the waterfall - 150 rubles.

Group trips to view petroglyphs - about 7,000 rubles, excluding excursions.

SORTAVALA

To get acquainted with the history of Karelia, visit the city of Sortavala. In 1990, it was included in the list of historical cities of Russia. Now it is the only city in Karelia where the old buildings have been preserved: stone three-story buildings of the early 20th century. They are made in the style of northern modernism, neoclassicism and functionalism. Their authors are the famous Finnish architects Uno Werner Ulberg, Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen, Johan Jakob Arenberg.

In Sortaval there is a modern and unique wood carving museum of the People's Artist of Russia Kronid Gogolev. There you can see works dedicated to the Russian North, folk life.

Sortavala is the second tourist center of Karelia after Petrozavodsk. Vessels depart from the city on most routes to Valaam. Motor ships depart from the main pier, carrying up to 20% of all pilgrims and tourists.

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Places of power and prayer

BALAAM

One of the most famous places for religious tourism is Valaam. Tourists, volunteers and thousands of pilgrims annually come to the Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, which became known in Rus' in the 15th-16th centuries.

In 1989, several monks began to restore the monastery: services were resumed in the lower church of St. Sergius and Herman, and restoration work began. Now about 150 monks live in the renovated Valaam Monastery, who revive the traditions of labor monasticism - this is construction and restoration, blacksmithing and agriculture.

There is a farm on Valaam where monks make cheese. The most famous variety is called "Monastiko", the inhabitants of the monastery claim that it is no worse than the Italian ones.

Most of all, believers come to Valaam to venerate the cross with the relics of the Great Martyr Panteleimon. However, it is interesting to come here, even if you are an atheist: you can leave the main island for sketes. This is the name of the places where experienced monks live according to a strict rule in a secluded place, run a household and avoid contact with the outside world. Cross the bridge to the Nikolsky Skete, which is considered the most beautiful here. Be alone with your thoughts and meditate near the water.

VALAAM PRICES

Cruise from Sortavala to Valaam - about 2000 rubles.

Cruise from St. Petersburg to Valaam - from 6000 rubles.

Cheeses from the Valaam Monastery can also be bought in farm shops in St. Petersburg (the price is more than 200 rubles per 100 grams).

SOLOVKI

While in Karelia, be sure to visit the Solovki archipelago, which consists of 6 large and more than 100 small islands.

Now they can meet squirrels, hares, foxes and even reindeer. And if you are lucky, then in the water you will see a white whale or a seal.

Walk around the territory of the Solovetsky Monastery with its huge walls made of ancient boulders, gates and towers. It is worth visiting the Three-domed Assumption Cathedral with a huge refectory of the 16th century and, of course, seeing the pearl of Solovki - the 600-year-old Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral. Its height is almost 40 m; there were no more such cathedrals in medieval Rus'. Visit the mill with a bell tower, and most importantly, the sketes, especially Andreevsky (5 km from the main island). In 1992, the complex of monuments of Solovki was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The most important thing on Solovki is the monastery of the same name. It was built back in the 15th century. Monks once lived here. In the 20s of the last century, a special purpose camp was opened on the territory of the monastery; together with the convoy, it consisted of 350 people. In the 1990s, the monastery began to revive: divine services were again held, buildings were restored, a Sunday school was opened, and monastic life in sketes resumed.

TOURS TO SOLOVKI

From the cities of Kem and Belogorsk on the ship - 1200 rubles per person.

Plane from Arkhangelsk - from 5000 rubles.

KIzhi ISLAND

While in Karelia, it is impossible not to visit Kizhi Island - one of the first and largest open-air museums in Russia.

The view of the island and the old wooden churches of the 18th century, gradually opening up as you approach from the water, will remain in your memory for a long time. The architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost is included in the UNESCO list. Be sure to stop by the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, one of the most famous wooden churches in Russia. It was built by nameless peasant craftsmen several centuries ago - without a plan, sketches, and even without the use of iron nails. Numerous excursions are held on the territory of Kizhi: in almost every building of the complex you will be shown different crafts, told about their history, and then fed with pies in a cafe stylized as a "tea-reading room".

TOURS TO KIzhi

In summer, from the water station of Petrozavodsk to Kizhi, "Comets" and "Meteors" of travel companies go daily (they cost more than 2500 rubles).

Hovercraft - tours for a group of up to 5 people on average 15,000 rubles.

SUV - tours with a stop in Kizhi about 30,000 rubles.

Snowmobile - tours about 30,000 rubles.

Dog team - 35,000 rubles.

Helicopter - about 8000 rubles per person.

Excursions on the territory of Kizhi - from 2,000 to 10,000 rubles.

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From jeep tours to dog sledding

During the summer season, Karelia is great for rafting. With rafting on the main river of the republic - Shuya - many water tourists begin. In winter, we advise you to visit the ski resorts of the region.

The summer season for rafting in Karelia starts in May. The most famous threshold of Shuya is Big Tolli. It is best to pass it in the spring, when the water level in the river is maximum. You can raft on rafts, rafts, kayaks and even catamarans.

If you want to ride on Russian off-road, then jeep tours are for you. They can be ordered in different lengths: from 200 to 1000 km. Difficulty can vary from walking on asphalt and dirt roads to forest roads.

Depending on the route, you will pass abandoned villages or historical monuments and lakes. You can spend the night in the forest or at special camp sites.

Tours can be combined: for example, first a jeep safari, and then a river rafting. You will see Medvezhyegorsk, get to Kizhi, you can walk through the forests near the springs.

PRICES

A multi-day tour with walks on the lakes, visiting churches, dinner by the fire and overnight accommodation in guest houses (all inclusive) - an average of 15,000 - 20,000 rubles.

Rafting on the Shuya River - from 6000 rubles if you book a tour.

Rafting with access to the White Sea: you will not only see the islands and villages of Karelia, but you can go fishing and spend the night in the field - about 20,000 rubles.

Three-day jeep tour - from 25,000 rubles.

In winter, Karelia invites lovers of active, extreme recreation. Ski resorts are perfect for this.

"YALGORA"

The first of them, "Yalgora", is located on the shore of the Yalguba Bay, not far from Petrozavodsk.

The best time to visit is January, February and March when the snow cover is high and the average temperature is minus ten degrees Celsius. But in February, the wind increases, so being in open space is not always comfortable. Usually the season closes in April, although sometimes the snow does not melt until mid-May. Visitors to "Yalgora" can not only go down five slopes of varying difficulty, but also climb to the top of the mountain without skis or snowboard to look at the frozen Yalguba Bay. There are cafes at the foot of the mountain and on its top.

PRICES IN "YALGORA"

Guest house for four people - from 3000 rubles per day.

Country complex "Suysar", the cost of a double room - from 3500 rubles per day.

Ski rental for two hours - 600 rubles, for a day - 850 rubles.

Ski pass (single pass for skiing) - up to 700 rubles.

Descent using a special station - 150 rubles.

"LITTLE BEAR"

On the shore of a huge lake in the city of Medvezhyegorsk there is a second ski resort - Malaya Medvezhka. The skiing season here lasts all the cold season - from November to March.

After descending one of the eight slopes of varying difficulty, you can have an inexpensive lunch at the Medvezhka restaurant, and then take a steam bath in a Russian bath or a Finnish sauna at reasonable prices. Wi-Fi works almost everywhere in the resort.

PRICES IN "SMALL BEAR"

Ski pass on weekends - 400 rubles for 4 hours, on weekdays - 250 rubles.

Sledge and snowmobile rental - from 1500 rubles per hour.

Excursions to Solovki, Kizhi, Valaam - an average of 10,000 rubles.

Guest houses and cottages, the cost per day varies depending on the season - from 2,000 rubles per room to 25,000 per cottage).

"SLIDE"

Finally, the third ski entertainment center "Gorka" is located right in Petrozavodsk. The season here usually starts at the end of November and ends at the beginning of April. At the resort, you can ride on two tracks of varying difficulty, use the "cheesecakes" and even work out on the skating rink, which is flooded right in the center of the resort.

In addition to ski resorts, you can also choose tours with daily skiing or choose a more extreme option - a multi-day tour.

PRICES IN "GORKA"

Ski rental for two hours - 400 rubles.

Skate rental - 250 rubles per hour.

Sled "cheesecakes" - 400 rubles for 5 descents.

Visitors can stay in Petrozavodsk itself - with local residents who rent apartments for tourists, in hostels (average price - 1000 rubles per room) or in hotels.

Dog sledding is very popular in Karelia. There are several kennels for breeding sled dogs in the republic.

If you decide to go to Karelia in January, go to the dog sled races held in Petrozavodsk at the Kommunalshchik stadium. This is a popular event in which famous travelers of Russia like Fedor Konyukhov participate and national groups of the republic perform. A ticket to the race is cheap - about 100 rubles.

KUDAM

The largest sled dog kennel in Russia is Kudama. The tours you can book in the village vary in difficulty.

PRICES FOR TOURS IN KUDAME

Visiting the nursery in Kudam - 200 rubles.

A two-day trip of 50 km, where you will learn how to harness a husky team, and also make a trip through the snowy taiga - 20,000 rubles for single accommodation on a team.

A five-day trip past Lake Onga-Muksa, with a snack on Ravan-mountain and dinner with an overnight stay in a yaranga - 50,000 rubles per person.

Stop for the night - from 600 rubles in a yaranga to 10,000 rubles for a large house.

KARJALA PARK

The complex is located on the banks of the Shuya River, 30 km from Petrozavodsk, between the villages of Matrosy and Polovina.

For visitors to Karjala Park, tours on sleds and snowmobiles are organized in winter. It is worth paying attention to two. The first is a husky tour to Kizhi Island.

During the four days of traveling on Siberian Huskies you will see ancient chapels, snow-covered domes of the Assumption Church, enjoy ice-covered water landscapes.

The second program is a three-day tour to the last Karelian village that has preserved its historical appearance - Kinerma.

On snowmobiles you will reach an old village house, where you will spend two nights.

The locals will feed you with national food and offer you to use the black bath - in no case do not refuse.

PRICES FOR TOURS IN KARJALA PARK COMPLEX

Husky tour to Kizhi island. The program includes meals, excursions in the villages, accommodation in a guest house and even a sauna - 45,000 rubles.

Tour to Kinerma - from 33,000 rubles.

Renting a cottage on the territory of the complex - 9000 rubles per day.

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History and life of Karelia

If you want to feel the history of the indigenous peoples of Karelia, live the life of the old Karelians and, perhaps, even be a "hermit", you should go to the ancient villages. There are 155 settlements in the republic that have the status of "historical" and have preserved ancient architecture.

Among them are well-known Kinerma, Mikhailovskaya, Sheltozero, Korza, Rubchoyla, villages on the Zaonezhsky Peninsula, where for many decades guests of the republic have been brought on excursions, master classes and interactive programs.

KINERM

The village has been known since the 16th century. This is the clearest example of the wooden buildings of the Karelian Livviks - large old two-story houses made of large logs. They differ from others in that under one roof there are residential and utility rooms. Every year, Kinerma, hidden in the depths of the Pryazha district, is visited by more than one and a half thousand people.

Here you can hear Karelian speech, try Karelian cuisine, visit a bathhouse and even live (for a specified amount) in a Karelian family that lives in Kinerma all the time.

Every August, village day is celebrated: a prayer service is served in the chapel of Our Lady of Smolensk (built in the 18th century and is under state protection as an architectural monument), and then they walk with songs and dances.

In summer, Kinerma hosts a festival of Karelian-speaking theater groups and the Kantele music festival. The village has a guest house that can accommodate 10 people.

SHELTOZERO

The ancient Veps (Veps - a small Finno-Ugric people living in Karelia - TASS) village has been known since the middle of the 16th century. Its name was included in all the great geographical dictionaries of Russia and Europe. It is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Onega, 84 km from Petrozavodsk.

In Sheltozero, a two-story log house of the local merchant Melkin, built in the 19th century, has been preserved. This is a building with carved balconies, shutters and architraves. Now it houses the Sheltozero Ethnographic Museum. In the village you can study the life, crafts and traditions of the Vepsians. Don't forget to listen to the performance of the Veps Folk Choir, which has existed since 1937.

CHELMUZHI

The third ancient place where you should go is the village of Chelmuzhi in the Medvezhyegorsk region of Karelia. It stands on the eastern shore of Lake Onega, and it is almost always quiet, sunny and empty here. Be sure to visit the graceful tented church of the Epiphany of the Lord, from the bell tower of which you can enjoy a beautiful view. The church was built in the 17th century with donations from Marfa Romanova, the mother of the future Tsar Mikhail, who was exiled here by Boris Godunov. The architecture of the building is the only one in all of Zaonezhie.

Karelia- a unique world, striking in its majestic nature and mystery.

To this day, untouched rivers, lakes and forests have been preserved here, the cleanest in. And it is not without reason that tourists come here, escaping from the stone jungle for a breath of the purest air, for the most beautiful nature caressing the eye.

But not only amazing landscapes attract tourists here, the culture of this unique place, a fusion of northern Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes, is rather mysterious and mysterious. For example, Mount Vottovaara, considered sacred. In its vicinity there are stones-seids, which were worshiped by local residents. They argue that if you perform the pagan rite “Karyala-aho” near them, then through many centuries you can see the half-humans-demigods who lived in those days, perhaps even the Atlanteans.

Whether it's a fairy tale or not, judge for yourself, but mysterious and inexplicable phenomena occur in the vicinity of this mountain, which only enhances the mystery of this place. However, you can learn more about everything in numerous books sold in Petrozavodsk or Medvezhyegorsk.

In Karelia, monuments of wooden architecture have also been preserved, the famous island of Kizhi, Valaam, founded by St. Andrew the First-Called, a monastery on Ladoga.

Well, now let's go down from heaven to earth and take up this region in more detail.

Types of tourism in Karelia

First of all, tourists come here for active, cultural and ecological tourism due to the numerous historical and cultural monuments, virgin nature and vast spaces where no human has set foot (at least not "inherited").

Lovers of water tourism come here, who are waiting for a variety of entertainment here, ranging from cruise ships on Ladoga and Lake Onega to rafting on mountain rivers lasting from several hours to a week.

Motorists and cyclists, fishermen and hunters travel here. Jeep tours are quite popular, passing along the old roads that once connected the ancient Karelian villages.

Tourist-hunter draws here a huge wealth of diverse fauna. The license, which can be obtained from the regional offices of the State Committee for Hunting of Karelia, will allow hunting for elk, wild boar, bear, beaver, and from birds for black grouse and capercaillie. However, the number of licenses is limited, and without it, hunting for hares, foxes, mink, squirrels, ducks, hazel grouse, etc. is possible. For tourists, beginners or those who love comfort, there are hunting tours with food and accommodation.

Tourists are fishermen they go, first of all, to the popular brand - Syamozero Lake, where comfortable conditions are created. In the center and north of Karelia there are rivers with good fishing for salmon, grayling and whitefish. Fishing is popular on Pyaozero and Lake Onega.

Winter also does not stop the tourist striving here, just interests change. At this time, lovers of all kinds of skiing go, you can ride snowmobiles, dogs or deer in plenty.

There is also health tourism, since 1719, thanks to Peter I, the oldest resort has been operating here - in the village of Marcial Waters.

General information about Karelia

Karelia is located in the north-west of Russia, from the north it has a border with the Murmansk region and the White Sea, from the west - Finland for 800 km, from the south - the border with the Leningrad and Vologda regions, and, finally, from the east - with the Arkhangelsk region.

The capital of the republic is Petrozavodsk.

The relief of the region is mostly hills, with the exception of the West Karelian Upland, where the highest mountain of the region, Nuorunen, is located. Karelia is called the land of lakes, on its territory there are 61 thousand (!), And 27 thousand rivers. A quarter of the entire territory is occupied by water, and another half by forest.

The edge is part of the Blue Road, an international tourist route.

How to get to Karelia

The easiest way to get to Karelia is to arrive in Petrozavodsk, the capital of the region.

Airplane

The fastest way to get to Petrozavodsk, of course, is by plane (Besovets airport). From (Domodedovo) there are daily flights, tickets from 3600 rubles. Tickets to Petrozavodsk can be selected with this SEARCH ENGINE. Drive in Petrozavodsk, the city of departure, and look at the desired flights for the desired dates.

Train

You can come from Moscow to Petrozavodsk by train No. 18/17, a ticket in a reserved seat - 1606 rubles, in a compartment - 2619, from - by train No. 657/658. In addition, there are trains from Kyiv and Minsk (ticket in a reserved seat from Minsk - 733,000 Belarusian rubles).

We are looking for train tickets using this SEARCH ENGINE .

Automobile

The federal highway M-18 passes through the republic from north to south. An experienced tourist can overcome 969 km along it in 12-14 hours.

You can choose a good hotel. Choose the number of stars, price, dates and choose what you like.

Climate of Karelia

The climate is mild, but rather capricious, moving from maritime to temperate continental as you move deeper into the continent, there is a lot of precipitation, both in winter and in summer.

Summer is short, sometimes frosts occur in June. Heat is a rare phenomenon, especially in the north.

Sights of Karelia

Waterfalls of Karelia

One of the tours will introduce the tourist to the second largest flat waterfall in Europe, Kivach, Ruskeala, White Bridges (19 meters), Kumi and many others. Independent inspection of the reserve will cost the tourist 120 rubles.

Marble was mined here from 1765 to 1939, until the Finns flooded it. Now there is a mountain park on this place (on Fridays and Saturdays it is also highlighted in the evening). The tour costs 250 rubles, tourists can come on their own, paying 150 rubles for entry.

It is located 68 km from Petrozavodsk. One of more than one and a half thousand islands of Onega Island, famous for its monuments of wooden architecture, including the main Church of the Transfiguration, built in 1714 and Pokrovskaya - in 1764. There are 89 buildings in total.

Entrance for a foreign tourist - 625 rubles, for a Russian - 250.

In addition to the indescribable natural beauties, where pine trees seem to grow right out of the rocks, the island is also famous for its monastery, founded in the 10th century. Its center is the Transfiguration Cathedral, built in the 19th century, in addition to it, Valaam sketes and St. Nicholas Church are worthy of attention.

It is located near the villages of Gimoli and Sukkozero. The height is 417 meters, but it is not famous for its height. The mountain is furrowed with deep straight cracks, as if polished.

There are many legends around it, since a partisan brigade died here during the war years, it has also been called Death Mountain. Devices here sometimes seem to go crazy, there are no animals and birds, local residents claim that shamans live on the mountain, and the mountain itself is a gateway to other worlds.

Ski resorts